As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,485,855, 4,610,039, 4,899,967, and 5,026,360 the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse devices for captively engaging one or more plastic receptacles.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, these patented constructions are neither designed nor intended to perform the specific purpose and function provided by the present invention.
Hazardous material such as radioactive waste may be sealed in plastic bags for small items or wrapped in plastic sheeting for large items. Occasionally the need arises to access the hazardous material in a controlled manner, that is, while maintaining total containment. Small items could be placed entirely inside a containment glovebag. However, it may not be possible or practical to place large items inside a containment; instead, one or more glovebags could be attached to the plastic sheeting covering the hazardous material. It is this latter application for which the split ring containment attachment device is intended.
In the past, a common method of attaching containment glovebags to plastic sheeting covering hazardous material was to employ tape and contact cement to form a positive seal at the juncture of the glovebag and the plastic sheeting. This can be very time consuming and may expose the workers to undesirable physical conditions such as increased radiation exposure. The integrity of this tape and glue seal may be reduced by the stress of working in the glovebag and by exposure to higher or lower than normal temperatures.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need in the field of hazardous waste handling for a safe and secure means of establishing a sealed operative engagement between plastic sheeting covering hazardous material and a containment device, typically of glovebag, and the provision of such a construction is a stated objective of the present invention.